These Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies are everything we want in a cookie. Soft, buttery, nutty, crumbly and melt in the mouth goodness!
Gone in seconds
Here’s the funny thing: unlike many people, I’m not a peanut butter lover. I enjoy peanut butter but I don’t LOVE it like most people. My sister and my husband don’t understand why I don’t go crazy for Reese’s peanut butter cups. I mean, I won’t say no to them, but there are many chocolate bars I prefer over peanut cups.
So when I first made these Peanut Butter and Jam Cookies, I kept my expectations to a minimum. Maybe that’s how I should approach new recipes from now on because OMG, these cookies are ridiculously good. The cookies disappeared from their baking tray in the space of 5 minutes.
These cookies have everything we want and need! Buttery, and nutty with a sweet jam centre. The texture of the cookies is crumbly, but it also melts in the mouth.
My 3-year-old Kai fell madly in love with these cookies. He licked the jam centre before nibbling the cookie. Kai saw me editing my photos and videos for this recipe and pleaded for ‘more jam cookies.’ I felt so bad when his eyes welled up when I told him there was none left. But then, I shouldn’t feel too bad because I’ve previously witnessed him cry over a bruised banana and a broken cheese stick.
I promised Kai to make another batch of these cookies with him soon and we’ll hide them from his daddy and aunty. I didn’t say that because he needs to know how to share, but I was thinking about it.
Jelly or jam?
When we were kids, we watched loads of American shows. We often saw parents making their kids toast with peanut butter and jelly and the kids would get so excited. Great acting skills because it got us curious. What is jelly?
Are Americans spreading ‘Aeroplane jelly’ over their peanut butter toast? We honestly thought they did! We then discovered that Americans called our jelly jello. Am I confusing you? Good, because I’m doing a good job confusing myself, too.
So what is the difference between American jelly and jam? Well, I have no idea, so like most of us would, I turned to the internet. So here it is: jam’s made from whole fruit so it contains seeds and jelly’s made from fruit juice so it has no seeds. Well, I’ve officially learned something new today!
Heck, the only kind of jam I’ve purchased has seeds, so I’m not sure if we have jelly jam. I’m sure we do, but it’s probably called something else here. I’ll make it my mission to investigate next time I’m at the supermarket!
Anyhow, regardless if you use jam or jelly, these cookies will still turn out spectacular. Just as long as you don’t use Aeroplane jelly 😂
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Ingredients for Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
Peanut butter – I used ‘Bega’ smooth peanut butter, but any brand of smooth (not crunchy) peanut butter would work. Avoid ones that are too oily.
Plain flour (All-purpose flour) has no salt or leavening (raising agents) such as baking powder mixed in.
Caster sugar (superfine sugar) – Caster sugar is just white sugar but with finer granules. For this recipe, you could swap caster sugar with regular white granulated sugar.
Raspberry Jam – Any flavour of jam would work. I used raspberry but you could swap it with your favourite jam such as strawberry, apricot, blueberry, etc.
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Watch how to make Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
Written step-by-step guide with photos
Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F) or 180°C (360°F) for fan-forced ovens. Line two large trays with non-stick baking/parchment paper.
For the dry ingredients – Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside for later.
Place the butter, caster and brown sugar in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer). Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars together on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until combined. Add in the peanut butter and beat for 2 minutes, then add in the egg and vanilla extract. Continue to beat for a minute.
Decrease the speed on low, then slowly add in the dry ingredients. Increase the speed to medium and beat until combined. The dough should appear crumbly but hold its shape when squeezed into a ball.
Measure approximately 1 tablespoon of dough, then roll it into a ball. Place the balls on the baking tray 2 inches apart. Use the base of a cup or a flat spatula to flatten each ball, then use a finger or a small round measuring spoon to make an indent in the centre of each cookie. Place half a teaspoon of jam in the centre of each cookie. Bake the cookies for 7 to 8 minutes. Leave the cookies to cool completely on the baking tray before serving.
Leftovers – Allow the Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies to cool completely at room temperature, then transfer them into an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
I’ve used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
I would love your feedback and support if you made this recipe. To do this, please rate this recipe and provide a comment by scrolling down this page or by clicking that green circle on the bottom left. An email address is required (for spam), but it won’t be published. I would also love to see your dish, so don’t forget to tag me on my Instagram account ‘3catsfoodie’
Cheers – Cat T
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
Ingredients
- 100 gm butter (softened)
- ¾ cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
- ¼ cup caster sugar (NOTE 1)
- 1 cup peanut butter (smooth, not oily brand) (NOTE 2)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup raspberry jam (or any kind of jam) (NOTE 3)
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 1½ cup plain flour (all purpose flour) (NOTE 4)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F) or 180°C (360°F) for fan-forced ovens. Line two large trays with non-stick baking/parchment paper.For the dry ingredients – Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside for later.
- Place the butter, caster and brown sugar in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer). Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars together on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until combined. Add in the peanut butter and beat for 2 minutes, then add in the egg and vanilla extract. Continue to beat for a minute.
- Decrease the speed on low, then slowly add in the dry ingredients. Increase the speed to medium and beat until combined. The dough should appear crumbly but hold its shape when squeezed into a ball.
- Measure approximately 1 tablespoon of dough, then roll it into a ball. Place the balls on the baking tray 2 inches apart. Use the base of a cup or a flat spatula to flatten each ball, then use a finger or a small round measuring spoon to make an indent in the centre of each cookie. Place half a teaspoon of jam in the centre of each cookie. Bake the cookies for 7 to 8 minutes. Leave the cookies to cool completely on the baking tray before serving.
